


On the Brink

by LazyRainDancer



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Childhood Friends, Childhood Friends, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, I don't know about everything that happened to Anzu at Kimisaki, Protective Rei, Protective Ritsu, mentions of bullying, nobody messes with their An-chan, so I just made do with what info I did have, this takes place during the canon school year but before Anzu actually transfers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-06
Updated: 2019-11-06
Packaged: 2021-02-01 02:09:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21328852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LazyRainDancer/pseuds/LazyRainDancer
Summary: Her teary gaze moves from one childhood friend to the other. “Ritchan, Rei-chan, what should I do? I tried to be strong, but I don’t think I can do it anymore. It’s all become too much for me. I don’t think I can take much more.”
Relationships: Sakuma Rei & Anzu, Sakuma Rei & Anzu & Sakuma Ritsu, Sakuma Ritsu & Anzu
Kudos: 22





	On the Brink

A new semester has begun, but Anzu can’t bring herself to feel excited about the new school year like the other students. Considering how her first day as a second year went, it’s really not that surprising.

Honestly, she should’ve expected it. It was foolish of her to believe that her situation at Kimisaki would change just because she was in a different grade now.

Still, Anzu couldn’t stop herself from clinging to that tiny shred of hope. Even though there were no signs that things would get better, she still hoped that a miracle would happen.

Unfortunately, miracles don’t exist, at least not for her anyway. 

It all began with the failure of the rebellion she and her friends started a few months ago. The teachers found out what they were planning thanks to the student council president and quickly intervened before the rebellion could accomplish its goal. 

The worst part of that was _how_ the teachers put an end to the rebellion. Rather than expel Anzu for her role as the leader of the rebellion, the adults instead encouraged all the other students to bully her.

Anzu knows exactly why they did that. The teachers want her to leave Kimisaki without having to put on their record that they actually expelled a student. They don’t want to ruin their prestigious school’s clean record.

While she understands the reasoning behind their actions, that doesn’t make the situation hurt any less. Growing up, Anzu was told that teachers were always there to help her, but that’s obviously not the case at Kimisaki. 

Her teachers don’t care about her at all. All that matters to them is maintaining their school’s perfect reputation. 

As a result, the last two months have been hell for the brunette. Even though she has never personally done anything to them, the other students find new ways to make each day miserable for her just because the teachers told them to.

Thankfully, the bullying has never gotten physical. The worst thing to happen on that end is her getting tripped in the hallway or having someone roughly bump shoulders with her as they’re passing her.

Mostly, the bullying involves the other students completely ignoring her existence. They avoid her like the plague, probably thinking they’ll also earn the teachers’ ire if they’re caught being friendly with her. 

At first, things weren’t so bad, but as the days turned into weeks and the weeks into months, Anzu found it harder and harder to maintain a strong front. It came to the point where she just wanted to give up and run away.

However, the brunette still found a way to hold on until the new semester started. The only thing that kept her going was the hope that things would change with the new school year.

Naturally, Anzu realizes now just how foolish she was for holding on for a reason like that. Of course, things wouldn’t change as long as the teachers were still at the school. As long as they’re there, there’s no way her life could go back to being peaceful. They wouldn’t allow a troublemaker like her to get any respite.

Now, Anzu has no idea what she should do. Honestly, she wants nothing more than to just run away, but if she does that, that means abandoning her friends. The brunette has already let them down once. Can she really do something as cruel as turning her back on them when it’s her fault this mess happened in the first place?

Still, she needs to do something. Anzu knows she won’t be able to keep it together much longer if things continue like this. She needs help.

After spending so much time suffering on her own, Anzu now realizes that she can’t do this alone anymore. Everything has just become too much for her.

That’s why the brunette heads for the Sakuma mansion after school lets out for the day. Even though she did her best to ensure her childhood friends never found out about her failed rebellion, Anzu knows that they’re the only ones she can turn to now. 

Her parents aren’t an option since she really doesn’t want to have to explain everything to them. While she could confide in her little brother, Anzu would rather not show such a shameful side to him. 

Rei and Ritsu are different. While she also considers them to be family, the brunette feels like she can tell them anything and that it’s okay to show her weak side to them. She knows they’ll always accept her no matter how many mistakes she makes.

And, right now, that’s what Anzu needs. After trying to be strong for so long, she just wants to let go and show what she’s really feeling. 

More than anything, Anzu just wants someone to tell her that everything will be alright--that this situation really isn’t as hopeless as it seems.

Despite how desperately she wants to talk to her childhood friends, Anzu still briefly hesitates when she comes to a stop in front of their front door. She’s worried about how they’ll react once they find out that she’s been keeping everything a secret from them. No doubt they’ll be upset.

Just imagining their hurt expressions makes her chest clench uncomfortably. Even though it wasn’t her intention, the brothers might think Anzu didn’t trust them enough to confide in them when in truth she did it because she didn’t want to burden them with her problems.

After everything Rei went through during the war, the last thing she wanted was to remind him of those events by bringing up her own failed war. Even though he won’t admit it, she knows Ritsu was also greatly affected by what happened to his brother, so she’s sure he’d be upset to discover she willingly chose to involve herself in the rebellion despite knowing what the war did to Rei.

It truly was reckless of her to take part in that rebellion after seeing first hand what could happen if she failed. However, her desire for a fun school life won out, and now, here she is, experiencing a school life that's the complete opposite of what she desired.

Gathering up all her courage, Anzu finally reaches toward the front door to knock, willing and ready to accept whatever scoldings she gets from her friends for her foolishness. It’s only after several minutes pass without any response that the brunette remembers that the brothers aren’t usually home right after school lets out because of their idol responsibilities. Because she had been so worked up, she had completely forgotten.

With a sigh, Anzu pulls out her spare key to open the door. After coming all this way, the last thing she wants to do is go home, especially considering her current mood. She really doesn’t want her brother to see her in such a pitiful state.

As she enters the mansion, the brunette wonders what she should do to pass the time. Homework is definitely not an option since it’ll just make her think about school, and she’s not really in the mood to draw. She hasn’t been for awhile thanks to everything going on at school.

Maybe a quick nap will do her some good. Anzu hasn’t been sleeping well as of late because she has been so stressed about her second year at Kimisaki, so she is feeling pretty tired. Her mood might even improve if she got some rest while she waits for her friends to come home.

In the end, since she can’t think of anything else better to do, Anzu decides to head for the guest room since that’s usually where she sleeps when she stays at the Sakuma mansion. After changing out of her uniform into some spare clothes she keeps in the room, the brunette crawls under the covers.

Surprisingly enough, even though sleep has been evading her lately, Anzu has no trouble falling asleep. If it’s because she’s just that tired or because of where she currently is, it’s hard to say for sure, but she’s incredibly grateful.

Looks like coming here was the right decision after all.

###### 

When Anzu later wakes, it’s to the sound of two familiar voices. 

“Quit clinging to her so much, you pervert. Keep that up, and I really will call the police on you.”

“I merely wanted to share my warmth since she looked cold! Please do not look at me with such disgusted eyes, Ritsu! Your sharp gaze is quite painful!”

Looks like Rei and Ritsu are home, and of course, rather than just wake her after finding her, the brothers decided to join her under the covers. Good thing all the beds in their mansion are so large.

Ritsu clicks his tongue. “Just let go of her already. An-chan already has me to keep her warm. She doesn’t need a creep like you clinging onto her while she sleeps.”

His brother sniffles, “First, a pervert, and now, a creep. You are being awfully cruel with the name calling today, Ritsu. Onii-chan is sad.”

The younger boy scoffs, “Like I care. Go cry somewhere else. You’re an eyesore.”

That’s when Anzu decides to intervene. “Alright, that’s enough. You can either stay here or leave the room to continue your squabbling. Make your choice.”

Rei, who’s currently hugging her from behind, affectionately rubs his cheek against hers. “Good morning, An-chan~ Did you sleep well?”

She fondly rolls her eyes. “I think it’d be more accurate to say evening that morning, but yes, I had a nice nap. Thank you for asking.”

Not liking being left out of the conversation, Ritsu pulls her closer to himself and nuzzles her hair. “You didn’t say you were coming over today, An-chan. If I had known, I would’ve come home sooner and hid you in my room so Anija couldn’t get to you.”

His brother whines in protest. “Ritsuuuuu, don not say such cruel things! I want to spend time with An-chan too!”

A weary sigh passes her lips. “I’m starting to regret my decision to come here.”

Unbeknownst to the younger girl, the brothers share a look after she says that, and for once, it doesn’t involve Ritsu’s usual hostility toward his brother. No, this time the only thing that can be seen in their eyes is worry since it’s obvious how worn out their childhood friend is.

Even though she’s only been awake for a few minutes, it’s obvious to them that something is off about their childhood friend. While Anzu is often exasperated by their squabbling, her response lacked her usual energy. 

It also didn’t escape their notice that the brunette is currently sporting some heavy bags under her eyes. That’s one of the reasons why they didn’t immediately try to wake her after they found her asleep in the guest room. 

The arms wrapped around her stomach give her a soft squeeze as Rei rests his chin on top of her head. “Are you alright, An-chan? You look awfully tired despite your nap. Have you been getting enough sleep lately?”

Before she can reply, Ritsu brings his face closer to hers, allowing her to see the worried look in his eyes. “Obviously not considering those bags under her eyes. When’s the last time you got a good night’s sleep, An-chan?”

Looks like it’s finally time for her to come clean and reveal everything. Once she admits that she has been having trouble sleeping the last several days, there’s no going back.

She averts her gaze. “For the past week, I’ve been having trouble sleeping. The nap I just had is probably the closest thing I’ve had to proper rest.”

Matching frowns appear on the brothers’ faces at her response. While it’s not on purpose, both boys simultaneously strengthen their grip on the girl as they shift closer to her. 

Rei moves one of his hands to overlap hers and gives it a light squeeze. “Do you know why you are having such difficulty sleeping?”

There it is--the question that will lead to everything being revealed. She’ll no longer be able to hide what’s going on once she answers.

Even though she hates the thought of the brothers being hurt by her secrecy, Anzu knows she needs to tell them. She can’t bear to keep this a secret any longer. It’s just too painful for her to bear alone. “Yeah, I do. It’s because..”

When she briefly hesitates, Ritsu moves to gently stroke her back. “It’s okay, An-chan. Just take it slow. We’re not going anywhere.”

Tears spring to her eyes at his gentle reassurance. How is it that these two always know exactly what she needs to hear in moments like this?

A lump forms in her throat. “I...I messed up, Ritchan, and I don’t think I can fix it. I don’t know what to do.”

His eyes widen at the sight of her tears. For Anzu to actually cry, things must be worse than he thought. “An-chan…”

Just like his brother, Rei is beginning to realize the severity of their current situation. Guilt weighs heavily on his heart upon realizing that Anzu has been suffering with him being none the wiser even though it’s his duty to watch out for her. Obviously, he’s been doing a very poor job at that.

Doing his best to ignore the guilt so that he can focus on Anzu, Rei moves to interlock his fingers with hers. “An-chan, can you tell us what happened? I can tell it is a painful subject for you, but if you are willing to confide in us, we would like to help you. There is nothing we hate more than to see you suffering.”

It’s true. Both brothers would much rather deal with being stuck outside all day in broad daylight than see their childhood friend looking so distraught. Seeing her like this is incredibly painful for the boys.

Ritsu gently wipes away the tears hanging in the corners of her eyes. “Please, An-chan?”

Anzu swallows past the lump in her throat. “Do you remember what I told you about my school?”

Rei uses his thumb to stroke her hand. “You do not talk about school much unless you are telling us about your friends, but I do not think that is what you are referring to.”

When she shakes her head, Ritsu tilts his. “Wait. I remember you once mentioned how strict the rules are there. Is that what you’re talking about?”

The brunette nods, “Yes, the only thing that matters there is that the students make good grades. So, the teachers are extra hard on the students when it comes to our studies. I often skipped class because I couldn’t bear how suffocating the classroom was.”

Both boys blink in surprise. They had no idea that their childhood friend had been skipping class.

A frown appears on Rei’s face. “This is my first time hearing about this.”

She bites her lip. “I didn’t want to make a big deal about it, especially considering the situation at your school, and it’s not like everything was bad at Kimisaki. Despite the strict rules, I was able to have some fun last year.”

His frown grows. “But, something did happen at your school in relation to that strict environment, correct?”

The way Anzu flinches at his question doesn’t go unnoticed by the brothers. Both boys tighten their grip on the younger girl while Ritsu narrows his eyes. “What did they do to you, An-chan?”

She begins to tremble. “It’s my fault. I tried to change the school so everyone could have a fun school life. I just wanted to help, but I failed and ruined everything.”

Tears cloud her vision. “My friends were counting on me to make things better, and I let them down. Now, everything’s a mess, and there’s nothing I can do to fix it.”

Despite her best efforts to hold the tears back, they soon begin to stream down her cheeks much to her friends’ distress. Rei immediately starts whispering reassurances in her ear as he hugs her tightly. Meanwhile, Ritsu rests his forehead against hers and gently wipes her tears away as he quietly hums a song he knows she likes.

While she’s embarrassed by how easily she broke down, Anzu can’t deny how good it feels to finally let everything out after having suppressed it for so long. However, while she’s glad she can finally let go, the brunette knows the happiness she’s feeling right now is mostly thanks to Rei and Ritsu. With every offer of comfort they provide, the more the weight on her chest lightens. 

Ever since the rebellion was foiled, Anzu has been dealing with an unbearable weight on her chest--a combination of all her guilt and the stress caused by the bullying. However, right now that suffocating feeling she has become so used to is gone. 

For the first time in a long time, Anzu feels like she can actually breathe.

It’s ironic that she feels that way considering how she’s gasping for air as she sobs, but that’s truly how she feels. The brunette thinks this is the easiest she has breathed since everything went downhill with the rebellion. 

Even though they must be confused since Anzu still hasn’t provided a proper explanation for what happened, Rei and Ritsu are doing everything they can to comfort the younger girl. Their quiet words of comfort and their gentle touches never stop as she continues to cry without any signs of stopping.

Eventually, her tears begin to ebb, and Anzu starts calming down. While she continues to sniffle and hiccup, the brunette slowly regains her composure, knowing she can’t continue like this when her friends are so worried about her and in need of answers.

Ritsu gently wipes away the tears still on her cheeks before kissing away the tears hanging in the corners of her eyes. Meanwhile, Rei quietly hums a song he always used to sing to her whenever she was upset as he presses kisses against her hair.

It’s moments like this that remind Anzu just how kind her childhood friends are. It’s a mystery to her how anyone could ever mistake them for cold creatures like vampires considering how warmhearted they both are. 

Feeling much calmer thanks to their ministrations, Anzu takes a deep breath and slowly releases it. “Thank you, Rei-chan, Ritchan. I’m sorry for crying so much.”

Rei kisses her cheek as he gives her hand a reassuring squeeze. “It is alright. There is no need to apologize. It is obvious you have been holding it all in for some time now and needed a release. You have done nothing wrong, An-chan.”

His brother buries his face in her neck. “For once, I’ll agree with Anija. You don’t owe us an apology, An-chan. We should be the ones apologizing for not noticing your pain sooner.”

She immediately wraps her arms around Ritsu and hugs him tightly. “It’s not your fault. I hid what was going on. It’s my fault for not saying anything.”

He tightens his grip on her waist. “Why didn’t you? Why didn’t you come to me? Am I that unreliable?”

A sharp pang of guilt resounds in her chest as Anzu presses her face against his hair. “No, it’s not like that at all, Ritchan. It’s because I knew you’d try to stop me if I told you what I was planning, and after everything went wrong, I tried to hide what happened. I didn’t know how to face you.”

When his brother remains silent, Rei quietly asks, “What happened, An-chan?”

After taking a deep breath to steady her nevers, the brunette replies, “My friends and I started a rebellion in hopes that we could change our school’s strict environment. We just wanted to make life easier for the students so everyone could actually get a chance to have some fun before they graduated.”

Noticing the way Ritsu flinches at the word “rebellion”, Anzu moves to rub his back as she kisses his hair. “I’m sorry, Ritchan. Even though I knew how reckless my decision to help out with the rebellion was, I still got involved. I just wanted to have an enjoyable high school life, but in the end, I just made things worse.”

He starts to shake. “You idiot. Even after seeing what happened to Anija, you did the same thing he did. Are you insane? Why would you put yourself through that?”

His grip is just shy of being painful as Ritsu clings to her with all his might. “You can’t end up like him, An-chan. You can’t…”

Her chest squeezes painfully at his words. “Ritchan...”

Rei sadly watches the two, unable to say anything since he knows his brother’s pain is his fault. He knows what happened with the war and his subsequent personality change affected Ritsu more than the younger boy wants to admit.

It hurts him to see his little brother in such a state. Rei wishes he could comfort his brother, but he knows if he tried that would just make Ritsu more upset. So, he holds himself back despite how much it hurts him to do so.

When Rei brings his gaze to rest on Anzu, the pain in his chest intensifies. How could he allow this to happen to her after he promised to always protect her?

Why didn’t he realize she was hiding something sooner? How could he allow his own personal circumstances to distract him from what was most important?

Not only did he fail to protect her, Rei also allowed Anzu to end up the same predicament he was in last year, and now, she’s suffering because of it. If he had looked out for her like he was supposed to, this would’ve never happened.

Hopefully, it isn’t too late to help her. While Anzu has obviously suffered a lot already, there still might be a chance to intervene before she ends up like him.

First, Rei needs to find out what exactly happened to her rebellion. “An-chan, can you tell us what happened next? What went wrong?”

Anzu pulls her face away from Ritsu’s hair and turns her head so she can meet the older idol’s gaze. “We had been using the tea club room as our base of operations since I’m the main person who ever uses the room because the other members are in the student council. That was a stupid mistake on my part since that meant the student council knew where to find us.”

She lowers her gaze as she bites her lip. “I...I considered them my friends, so I didn’t think they’d turn us in. But, I was wrong. The teachers found out what we were doing thanks to them and shut us down. There was nothing we could do to stop them.”

He rests his head against hers. “It was not your fault, An-chan. It’s unfortunate, but not everyone is worthy of the trust we put in them. You’re a kind girl who’s willing to give everyone a chance, and there’s nothing wrong with that.”

That’s when Ritsu pulls away from her neck, allowing her and his brother to see the scowl he’s now wearing. “Who was it? I’ll make them pay for betraying you like that.”

Shaking her head, Anzu moves to run her fingers through his hair. “Please don’t, Ritchan. I don’t want revenge. They did their jobs as student council members, so it’s really my fault for thinking they wouldn’t act.”

Before his brother can argue, Rei intervenes, “Ritsu, I understand your anger, but remember what is most important. We need to focus our attention on taking care of An-chan, not on getting revenge she does not wish for.”

Ritsu glares at his brother before eventually returning his attention to Anzu. He sighs after he sees the pleading look in her eyes. “Fine. I won’t do anything to them.”

With a smile, Anzu presses a kiss against his cheek. “Thank you, Ritchan. It does make me happy that you’re willing to go so far for my sake. I appreciate the sentiment.”

Thankfully, the affectionate gesture seems to help improve the younger brother’s mood. “I’d kill anyone who hurts my An-chan. Your enemies are my enemies.”

She sighs, “Despite having such a sweet face, you say some pretty scary things sometimes, Ritchan.”

Rei nods as he pouts, “My sweet Ritsu did not use to say such terrifying things. What happened to my pure, adorable baby brother while I was not looking?”

His brother scowls in disgust. “What a pain. If it weren’t for An-chan, I would’ve gotten rid of you already. Be grateful you’re still here, Anija.”

The older idol whines pitifully in response. “So cruel!”

All Anzu can do is shake her head at her childhood friends’ antics. At least, she won’t have to worry about Ritsu getting violent since she’s currently in between them. No matter how annoyed he gets with his brother, the brunette knows Ritsu would never risk hurting her to get back at Rei, so for now, the older brother is safe.

Still, she should probably intervene and calm the younger brother down. Just as Anzu opens her mouth to do just that, Ritsu’s eyes suddenly narrow and move to look at her, catching her and his brother by surprise. “An-chan, what did the teachers do once they found out about the rebellion? I would’ve thought they’d expel you, but obviously, they didn’t since you’re still there. So, what did they do?”

Anzu immediately averts her gaze. This is the one thing she really didn’t want her childhood friends to find out about since she knew how angry they’d both be once they found out. Ritsu’s current expression is proof of that, and while he’s been calm so far, Anzu doubts that Rei will be able to maintain that front once he finds out about the bullying.

Both brothers pick up on her unease which just makes them more suspicious. Noticing the clear anger in his brother’s eyes, Rei decides to intervene before the younger idol can try to interrogate her.

Using his thumb to gently stroke her hand which is still being held in his, Rei props his chin on her shoulder and whispers, “An-chan, it is alright. I know you are worried about how we will react, but I promise everything will be fine. Please tell us what cruel fate has fallen upon you. We only wish to help you.”

The tension in her frame begins to ease in response to his words and ministrations. Slowly, Anzu turns her head so that her gaze can meet his. “You promise you won’t lose your temper or try to get revenge?”

For her to be worried about him, not just Ritsu, losing his temper sets off the alarm bells in his head, but Rei doesn’t let his calm exterior falter. Instead, he just smiles, “Of course, my dear. Anything for you.”

Ritsu scoffs, “Suck up. You’re just making another promise you’ll break. There’s no way we won’t get upset by what An-chan says considering how she’s been acting.”

When his brother flinches at his words, Anzu moves to stroke the older idol’s hair. “Ritchan, please be nice. Rei-chan was just trying to help me feel better. And, while I know he said it to comfort me, I’m confident he’ll keep his promise.”

Tears spring to Rei’s eyes. “An-chan…”

Rolling his eyes, Ritsu sighs, “Fine. Believe what you want. Just tell us what happened already.”

Nodding, Anzu removes her hand from Rei’s hair so she can use it to cling to his shirt. Meanwhile, her other hand latches onto Ritsu’s shirt. 

Closing her eyes, the brunette takes a deep breath and slowly exhales. “Because of my reputation as a troublemaker and the fact that I was considered the leader of the rebellion, the teachers focused on me after they found out about the rebellion. They…”

Her grip on their shirts tightens as memories of the bullying fly to the forefront of her mind. Tears prick the corners of her eyes despite her best efforts to hold them in. 

Both boys hug her tighter when they see the tears. Before they can say anything to comfort her, Anzu finishes her previous sentence, causing them both to freeze.

“They didn’t expel me because that would look bad on the school’s record. So, they told the students to bully me in hopes that I would leave school on my own.”

Hearing a low hiss, Anzu’s eyes immediately snap open and focus on Ritsu who looks furious. “They did _what_?”

She winces when she sees the pure fury in his gaze. “Being bullied was my punishment for the rebellion. It’s been happening ever since the teachers stopped the rebellion. It’s never gotten really physical, so I’ve never been seriously hurt. But…”

Trembling, Anzu quietly continues, “I never realized how painful being ignored was. It’s like I don’t even exist. No matter what I do, nothing ever changes. I’m always isolated from everyone else, and it hurts. I thought things might change with the new school year, but I was wrong. Today was just like all the other days.”

A lump forms in her throat. “I held out this long because I thought things would get better, but I realize now how foolish that was. Nothing will change as long as the teachers are there.”

Her teary gaze moves from one childhood friend to the other. “Ritchan, Rei-chan, what should I do? I tried to be strong, but I don’t think I can do it anymore. It’s all become too much for me. I don’t think I can take much more.”

Ritsu’s anger fades, replaced with a pained expression. He holds her as tightly as he can as he rests his forehead against hers. “You don’t have to handle it by yourself anymore, An-chan. I won’t allow you to be hurt anymore.”

At that moment, Rei buries his face against her neck. When he begins to tremble, Anzu opens her mouth to ask if he’s alright, but before she can, Rei mutters, “Gimme a sec, An-chan. I have no intention of breakin’ my promise, but I need a minute to calm down. I got angrier than I was expectin’.”

He must be really angry if he has reverted to his old way of speaking. Good thing Anzu got Rei to promise he wouldn’t do anything. Otherwise, the teachers at Kimisaki would be in grave danger for sure. 

Unfortunately, Ritsu didn’t make that same promise, so she’ll need to keep an eye on him. After all, she wouldn’t put it past him to randomly show up at her school one day to give the teachers hell.

Surprisingly enough, the next words Ritsu speaks don’t involve plans for revenge like she was expecting. “An-chan, you can’t stay at Kimisaki. Transfer to our school. I can protect you there.”

Anzu blinks in surprise. “Yumenosaki? But..”

He wipes away the tears hanging in the corners of her eyes. “Your brother just enrolled in the general course there, right? You can join him. I’m sure your parents won’t mind the transfer since the new semester has just started. Just let them think you’re worried about him going to a big school on his own.”

Considering how protective she is of her little brother, her parents would probably assume that’s why Anzu would suddenly want to transfer schools. And, there’s a strong chance they would allow the transfer like Ritsu said. 

Still….

A frown appears on her face. “That means running away. I would be abandoning my friends, leaving them to deal with everything when it was my fault that the rebellion failed.”

Rei gives her hand a strong squeeze. “That is wrong, An-chan. You are doing what is best for your health. You know as well as we do that you cannot remain at that school any longer. Just as you previously said, as long as those teachers are there, your situation will not improve.”

His brother cups her cheek. “You’re not doing anything wrong, An-chan. If no one else is going to try helping you, then you need to help yourself. You can’t let yourself continue to suffer like this.”

Anzu releases a shaky sigh. “I know you’re both right. Nothing will change if I stay there. I just hate it had to come to this. I feel like I should’ve done more.”

Shaking his head, Ritsu pulls his hand away from her face. “You did everything you could, An-chan. Even without you giving all the details, I know you gave everything you’re all because that’s just the kind of person you are.”

Nodding, Rei rubs his cheek against hers. “I agree. You are a kind, hardworking girl who always does her best for her friends. I refuse to believe that your current situation was a result of a lack of effort on your part.”

Her heart swells with affection for the two boys. They really are the best childhood friends a girl could ever ask for.

While her guilt is still there and probably won’t fade anytime soon, Anzu does feel better after hearing their kind words. “Thank you. I needed to hear that.”

Both boys relax when the corners of her lips curve upwards. Rei smiles as he nuzzles her hair while Ritsu grins as he presses his face against her neck.

Taking turns between stroking the brothers’ hair, Anzu asks, “Do you think I could pass the entrance exam? I’m not really confident in my studies since I skipped class so much.”

Rei gently strokes her hand with his thumb. “Worry not, An-chan. We can help you prepare for the exam. From what I have heard, the general course entrance exam will not be that difficult, but we will make sure you are ready for anything just in case.”

The younger brother yawns, “I’ll tell Ma-kun and get him to help too. Since he’s in the student council, he might be able to find out what the exam will be like.”

Knowing Mao, he would probably look into it for her sake despite already being so busy with all his other responsibilities. That’s just the kind of guy he is. Anzu will have to remember to make him something later as a thank you for his help.

There are also two other boys she needs to thank.

While it’s a little awkward since Rei is behind her, Anzu somehow manages to wrap an arm around both their necks so she hug them. “Thank you, Rei-chan, Ritchan. I’m really glad I came to see you. Things were starting to feel hopeless, but I feel better now thanks to you. I’m really lucky to have you two in my life.”

They simultaneously tighten their grips on the younger girl. As far as they’re concerned, the brothers don’t think they deserve her thanks since they weren’t able to stop this situation from happening in the first place. However, they’re bound and determined to make up for that by doing everything in their power to protect her now.

There won’t be a second time. 

Of course, neither of the boys voice those thoughts. After all, now’s not the time to be wallowing in their regrets.

Rei kisses her hair. “We are just as fortunate to have you in our lives, An-chan. Meeting you was one of the best things to ever happen to us.”

Ritsu nuzzles her neck. “I hate agreeing with Anija, but he’s right. We’re just as lucky as you are, An-chan.”

A warm smile appears on her face. Blinking away the happy tears that spring to her eyes, Anzu kisses Ritsu’s hair before planting a kiss on Rei’s cheek. “We’re all really lucky then.”

It’s hard to believe that Anzu can actually use that word to describe herself now, considering everything that has happened since her failed rebellion. If someone had asked her earlier today if she considered herself to be a lucky person, the brunette would have definitely said no. 

However, Anzu realizes now that that’s not true. She’s actually the luckiest girl on the planet because she has Rei and Ritsu in her life--two boys who are always willing to go above and beyond for her sake because she’s that important to them. They’re also the ones who showed her that there is still some hope for her future. 

While she might not deserve it after all the trouble she caused at Kimisaki, Anzu can’t stop herself from hoping that things will be different for her at Yumenosaki. Maybe, just maybe, she will be able to have a fun high school life after all.

**Author's Note:**

> This is a scenario I've really wanted to see written. Ever since I created the childhood friends AU, I wanted to see Anzu getting the comfort she deserved after everything that happened at Kimisaki. While she doesn't ever bring up what happened in canon, I think she would tell Rei and Ritsu since they're so close and she trusts them. At that point in her life, she really needed someone to confide in, and they fit the bill. This fic is basically a parallel to Lifeline just with the roles swapped and Ritsu included since Anzu and Rei went through similar experiences during the year prior to the canon story line. 
> 
> I don't think it's ever specifically mentioned when exactly during her first year the rebellion started and failed, but I HC that it was closer to the end of the school year when things went wrong. I also made it so that it happened after the war ended at Yumenosaki, so Rei and Ritsu were dealing with that aftermath while she was dealing with her rebellion. From what I've read, Anzu doesn't transfer to Yumenosaki at the beginning of the school year since some of the guys comment on the abruptness of her transfer. I'm not really sure when exactly she transferred but I figured it was less than a month into the new school year. That's why I had this fic take place on her first day as a second year. I wanted Anzu to try staying for another year at Kimisaki but quickly realizing that it's not a good idea since the bullying won't be stopping as long as the teachers are there. 
> 
> In regards to how Rei and Ritsu handle the situation, don't worry, they definitely make sure to get back at the teachers. Well, mainly Ritsu does since Rei did promise that he wouldn't do anything. He mainly just makes sure that Ritsu doesn't get caught lol Those teachers will rue the day they hurt their An-chan XD


End file.
